The first
formation so designated was a fully manned and equipped combat division
which went to France with the Canadian Expeditionary
Force during the First World War. A second iteration was raised for the Second World War;
this
article refers to the latter division.

Mobilization

The 4th Canadian
Division was authorized by General Orders dated 24 May 1940, in
response to the crisis in France. Headquarters mobilized as
Serial 900 of the Canadian Active Service Force. The divisional
artillery mobilized as the 15th, 16th and 17th Field Regiments,
initially with two combined field-batteries per regiment.1

Serial

Unit

900

Headquarters, 4th
Division, C.A.S.F.

904

Headquarters, 4th
Divisional Artillery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

905

►15th Field Regiment,
R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

905A

►►Headquarters, 15th
Field Regiment, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

905B

►►41st/102nd Field
Battery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

905C

►►3rd/47th Field
Battery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

906

►16th Field Regiment,
R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

906A

►►Headquarters, 16th
Field Regiment, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

906B

►►24th/75th Field
Battery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

906C

►►87th/88th Field
Battery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

907

►17th Field Regiment,
R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

907A

►►Headquarters, 17th
Field Regiment, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

907B

►►60th/76th Field
Battery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

907C

►►37th Field Battery,
R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

908

►4th Anti-Tank Regiment,
R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

908A

►►Headquarters, 4th
Anti-Tank Regiment, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

908B

►►98th (Bruce) Anti-Tank
Battery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

908C

►►24th Anti-Tank
Battery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

908D

►►82nd Anti-Tank
Battery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

908E

►►104th Anti-Tank
Battery, R.C.A., C.A.S.F.

Each infantry brigade initially had an
anti-tank company assigned to it. While the authorization for
forming the division was officially dated in May, some units did
not receive telegrams from Ottawa ordering them to mobilize
until June.

Serial

Unit

930

Headquarters, 10th Infantry Brigade, C.A.S.F.

931

10th Infantry Anti-Tank
Company, C.A.S.F.

932

The British Columbia
Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles), C.A.S.F.

933

The South Alberta
Regiment, C.A.S.F.

934

The Royal Winnipeg
Rifles, C.A.S.F. (On
1 August 1940 moved to 7th Brigade and replaced by
16th/22nd Saskatchewan Horse)

940

Headquarters, 11th Infantry Brigade, C.A.S.F.

941

11th Infantry Anti-Tank
Company, C.A.S.F.

942

The Lake Superior
Regiment, C.A.S.F.

943

The Irish Regiment of
Canada (M.G.), C.A.S.F.

944

The Elgin Regiment,
C.A.S.F.

950

Headquarters, 12th Infantry Brigade, C.A.S.F.

951

12th Infantry Anti-Tank
Company, C.A.S.F.

952

The Governor General's
Foot Guards, C.A.S.F.

953

The Canadian Grenadier
Guards, C.A.S.F.

954

The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, C.A.S.F.

A full slate of
divisional support units also mobilized in accordance with G.O. 184/40:

Concentrated at
Valcartier, Quebec in March 1941 and later in Camp
Borden in June.

The Official
History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War notes:

There was
considerable delay before the organization of the 4th
Division was completed. All the infantry battalions had been
mobilized during the summer, but the three infantry brigade
headquarters were not formed until the following winter
(December 1940-February 1941); and the divisional
headquarters was set up still later. The recruitment of the
balance of the Division was authorized by the War Committee
of the Cabinet on 9 May 1941, by which time the 3rd
Division's departure for the United Kingdom was imminent. On
10 June the 4th Division's headquarters was finally formed,
with the appointment of Major-General L. F. Page as General
Officer Commanding.2

Training of the division was hampered
by a low priority given to it for resources. A new formation
initially referred to as the 1st Canadian Armoured Division was
mobilized along with the 1st Army Tank Brigade, and to hasten
the mobilization of these units, which had priority, the 17th
Field Regiment was withdrawn from the 4th Division and
reallocated to the 1st Armoured Brigade Group as part of the
armoured division. The 4th Anti-Tank Regiment, RCA, was also
transferred, and in February 1941 batteries of the 15th and 16th
Field Regiments provided troops for the armoured division's
light anti-aircraft unit. The 4th also transferred men and units
from the medical, engineer, provost, signals, ordnance and
service corps. The 18th Field Regiment, RCA, replaced the 17th
in the 4th Division.3

Utilizing
4th Division units for the Armoured Division was not merely
a means of speeding the organization of the latter; it also
served as an economy measure. The size of the proposed
budget for 1941-42 had caused alarm at the Department of
Finance, and on 28 January the Cabinet War Committee agreed
that the service departments and the Department of Munitions
and Supply should so adjust their programmes as to reduce
their total requirements from $1500 million to $1300
million. In these circumstances General Crerar, taking into
account General Wavell's recent successes in the Middle
East, felt that it was safe both to take 4th Division men
and units for the Armoured Division and to delay
reconstituting the 4th Division until later in the financial
year, as well as deleting provision which had been proposed
for mobilizing a fifth infantry division and taking
preliminary steps towards mobilizing a sixth. It was only in
May 1941 (after disasters had befallen the Allied cause in
Africa and Greece) that reconstitution of the 4th Division
was ordered and Crerar asked for authority to mobilize
another infantry division for home defence.

In July
1941 the 1st Armoured Division was redesignated the "5th
Canadian (Armoured) Division". (This designation was never
officially altered afterwards; but the simpler form "5th
Canadian Armoured Division" soon came into common use.) The
Division moved overseas, as planned, that autumn, its main
flight (Convoy T.C. 15) reaching the United Kingdom on 22
November. This convoy, which included the divisional
headquarters, was the largest single troop movement from
Canada up to that time, totalling nearly 14,000 all ranks.
As a result of the build-up during 1941, the strength of the
Canadian Army Overseas at the end of the calendar year was
124,472 all ranks.4

The 18th
(Manitoba) Reconnaissance Battalion mobilized as Serial 977
under General Order 160/41, effective 10 May 1941, along with a
list of other units intended for service with the 4th Canadian
Division. New batteries of artillery were authorized for the
divisional artillery.

Serial

Unit

117E

4th Divisional Ordnance
Field Park, R.C.O.C.

659

No. 8 Provost Company

916

8th Field Company, R.C.E

917

9th Field Company, R.C.E.

977

18th (Manitoba)
Reconnaissance Battalion

978

95th Field Battery,
R.C.A.

979

110th Field Battery,
R.C.A.

980

18th Field Battery,
R.C.A.

981

70th Field Battery,
R.C.A.

982

Headquarters, 18th Field
Regiment, R.C.A.

983

25th Field Battery,
R.C.A.

984

19th Field Company,
R.C.E.

985

6th Field Park Company,
R.C.E.

986

No. 12 Field Ambulance,
R.C.A.M.C.

987

No. 15 Field Ambulance,
R.C.A.M.C.

988

No. 16 Field Ambulance,
R.C.A.M.C.

989

No. 6 Casualty Clearing
Station, R.C.A.M.C.

990

No. 12
Field Hygiene Section, R.C.A.M.C.

The 6th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
(Serial 991) also mobilized under General Order 240/41 with
effect 5 September 1941.5

Conversion to Armour

In October 1941, the Minister of
National Defence, J.L. Ralston, and General H.D.G. Crerar
visited the United Kingdom for consultation with British
authorities and General McNaughton, then commanding Canadian
forces in the U.K. On his return to Canada, Ralston relayed to
the War Committee that the British Secretary of State for War
had advised that a second armoured division from Canada would be
a helpful contribution. Previous discussions in Canada regarding
the conversion of the 4th Division to an armoured division were
given added impetus.6

A series of reorganizations took place
early in 1942 to convert the division into an armoured
formation. General Order 132/42 effective 26 January 1942
reorganized the division, to include an armoured car regiment,
two armoured brigades, and an armoured division support group
(composed of the 15th Field Regiment, 5th Anti-Tank Regiment and
8th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment) plus The Irish Regiment of
Canada.7:

Serial

Unit

Serial

Redesignated as

900

Headquarters, 4th
Division

900

Headquarters, 4th
(Armoured) Division

975

No. 4 Defence and
Employment Platoon

975

4th (Armoured) Division
Headquarters Squadron, C.A.C.

904

Headquarters, 4th
Divisional Artillery, R.C.A.

904

Headquarters, 4th
(Armoured) Divisional Support Group

906A

Headquarters, 16th Field
Regiment, R.C.A.

1906A

Headquarters, 8th Light
Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.C.A.

981

70th Field Battery,
R.C.A.

1906B

70th Light Anti-Aircraft
Battery, R.C.A.

905B

102nd Field Battery,
R.C.A.

1906C

102nd Light
Anti-Aircraft Battery, R.C.A.

905C

3rd Field Battery, R.C.A.

1992D

3rd Anti-Tank Battery,
R.C.A.

916

8th Field Company, R.C.E.

916

8th Field Squadron,
R.C.E.

917

9th Field Company, R.C.E.

917

9th Field Squadron,
R.C.E.

985

6th Field Park Company,
R.C.E.

985

6th Field Park Squadron,
R.C.E.

926

4th Divisional Signals,
R.C.C.S.

1926

4th (Armoured)
Divisional Signals, R.C.C.S.

977

18th (Manitoba)
Reconnaissance Battalion

977

18th (Manitoba) Armoured
Car Regiment, C.A.C.

930

►Headquarters, 10th
Infantry Brigade

930

►Headquarters, 3rd
Armoured Brigade

472

►►No. 10 Defence Platoon

472

►►Headquarters Squadron,
3rd Armoured Brigade, C.A.C.

932

►►The British Columbia
Regiment

932

►►28th Armoured Regiment
(The British Columbia Regiment),C.A.C.

944

►►The Elgin Regiment

944

►►25th Armoured Regiment
(The Elgin Regiment), C.A.C.

933

►►The South Alberta
Regiment

933

►►29th Armoured Regiment
(The South Alberta Regiment), C.A.C.

942

►►The Lake Superior
Regiment

942

►►The Lake Superior
Regiment (Motor)

950

►Headquarters, 12th
Infantry Brigade

950

►Headquarters, 4th
Armoured Brigade

474

►►No. 12 Defence Platoon

474

►►Headquarters Squadron,
4th Armoured Brigade, C.A.C.

952

►►The Governor General's
Foot Guards

952

►►21st Armoured Regiment
(The Governor General's Foot Guards), C.A.C.

1044

►►The Sherbrooke
Fusilier Regiment

1044

►►27th Armoured Regiment
(The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment), C.A.C.

953

►►The Canadian Grenadier
Guards

953

►►22nd Armoured Regiment
(The Canadian Grenadier Guards), C.A.C.

355

►►The Princess Louise
Fusiliers (M.G.)

355

►►The Princess Louise
Fusiliers (Motor)

987

No. 15 Field Ambulance,
R.C.A.M.C.

987

No. 15 Light Field
Ambulance, R.C.A.M.C.

988

No. 16 Field Ambulance,
R.C.A.M.C.

988

No. 16 Light Field
Ambulance, R.C.A.M.C.

990

No. 12 Field Hygiene
Section, R.C.A.M.C.

990

No. 12 Light Field
Hygiene Section, R.C.A.M.C.

641

No. 41 Light Aid
Detachment (Type "A"),R.C.O.C.

641

No. 41 Light Aid
Detachment (Type "C"), R.C.O.C.

642

No. 42 Light Aid
Detachment (Type "A"),R.C.O.C.

642

No. 42 Light Aid
Detachment (Type "C"), R.C.O.C.

643

No. 43 Light Aid
Detachment (Type "A"),R.C.O.C.

643

No. 43 Light Aid
Detachment (Type "C"), R.C.O.C.

693

No. 75 Light Aid
Detachment (Type "B"),R.C.O.C.

693

No. 75 Light Aid
Detachment (Type "C"), R.C.O.C.

255A

4th Divisional Ordnance
Workshop, R.C.O.C.

255A

4th Armoured Divisional
Ordnance Workshop, R.C.O.C.

117E

4th Divisional Ordnance
Field Park, R.C.O.C.

117E

4th Armoured Divisional
Ordnance Field Park, R.C.O.C.

During the
early months of 1942, the complicated process of converting the
4th Infantry Division into the 4th Armoured Division was going
forward in Canada. Brigadier Worthington became a Major-General
and was appointed to the command. His task was somewhat eased by
improvements in the equipment situation; Canadian "Ram" tanks
were now coming off the production line, and thus the units were
able to train in Canada with the equipment which, in the first
instance, they would use overseas. The Division moved across the
Atlantic in the late summer and early autumn of 1942, the two
main convoys reaching the Clyde on 31 August and 6 October. The
last units arrived in the Queen Elizabeth on 4 November.8

The 6th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
left the division to eventually become a unit attached directly
to 2nd Canadian Corps while 18th Field Regiment became a Medium
Regiment. The headquarters of the 11th Infantry Brigade
converted to armour to become the 2nd Army Tank Brigade taking
with it The Grey and Simcoe Foresters and The 16th/22nd
Saskatchewan Horse.

On arrival overseas, the division once
again reorganized, from having a two armoured brigade
organization to one armoured brigade and one infantry brigade.

Serial

Unit

Disposition

930

►Headquarters,
3rd Armoured Brigade

Phased out

472

►►Headquarters
Squadron, 3rd Armoured Brigade, C.A.C.

Phased out

932

►►28th Armoured
Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment),C.A.C.

4th Canadian Armoured
Brigade

944

►►25th Armoured
Regiment (The Elgin Regiment), C.A.C.

Transferred
to 2nd Canadian Corps, redesignated 25th Armoured Regiment
(eventually redesignated 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment and
served as Army troops)

Transferred to 5th Canadian
(Armoured) Division, later served as M.G. unit

943

The Irish
Regiment of Canada, C.A.S.F.

Transferred to 5th Canadian
(Armoured) Division

977

18th Armoured
Car Regiment (Manitoba Dragoons)

Transferred to 2nd Canadian
Corps

The 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade
arrived from Canada, comprising the 10th Independent Machine Gun
Company (The New Brunswick Rangers), The Lincoln and Welland
Regiment, The Algonquin Regiment and The Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's).9

Arrival Overseas

The division
deployed to the United Kingdom in the late summer and autumn on
1942 and despite the number of reorganizations, the availability
of armoured vehicles from Canadian sources permitted units to
arrive in an advanced state of training. Universal carriers had
been used as substitutes for tanks, and by October 1942, 255
carriers were on hand "with the result that much useful training
in troop and squadron tactics was
possible." The division aimed for collective training to reach
squadron level by 15 February 1943 and for formation
headquarters to be able to handle units by then. The division,
initially under command of Canadian Military Headquarters in
London, came under control of 1st Canadian Army on 21 October
1942. It was not until October 1943 that the entire formation
would participate in an exercise as a division with all arms and
services engaged.10

Combat History

The division
deployed to Normandy at the end of July 1944, becoming
operational as a formation of 2nd Canadian Corps on 29 July
1944. The formation participated in the breakout from Caen and
the closing of the Falaise Gap. For actions during the fighting
at St. Lambert-sur-Dives between 18-21 August 1944, Major David
V. Currie of the 29th Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The
South Alberta Regiment) was awarded the Victoria Cross, the only
soldier of the Canadian Armoured Corps to be so honoured.

The division
advanced to the River Seine on the right of 2nd Canadian Corps,
sending its infantry across above Elbeuf on 26 August 1944, and
advancing to the Somme River. The division crossed this next
obstacle on 2-3 September as the 2nd Division returned to
Dieppe. An administrative pause followed at Abbeville, and the
division advanced once more toward Belgium, where spearheads of
the British Army were already in Brussels and Antwerp.
Organizing into two battle groups, the division reached the
Ghent Canal on 8 September, hitting the first of the Scheldt
Fortress defences. Fighting for a bridgehead over the Ghent
followed, as well as a battle to clear Bruges. More fighting to
clear water obstacles south of the Scheldt followed, at
Moerkerke and Eecloo.

The fighting to
clear the approaches to Antwerp took on added importance as
September went on; the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions were
withdrawn from the French channel coast and committed to the
region as parts of the 4th Armoured was shifted east, north of
Antwerp, in early October leaving elements to patrol the Leopold
Canal and contain the Breskens Pocket. On 17 October the entire
division had been shifted north of Antwerp and came under
command of 1st British Corps to assist the 2nd Canadian Division
in its attack on the South Beveland Peninsula. In turn, the
division took Esschen, on 22 October, then Bergen op Zoom, on 27
October, moving on to Sttenbergen on 4 November and on to
Hollandschdiep.

At the conclusion
of the Battle of the Scheldt on 8 November 1944, the division
joined 1st Canadian Army in the Nijmegen Salient, thought
remained under 1st British Corps as it held positions on the
south bank of the lower Maas River. It was relieved in place
from 26 November 1944 to 5 December by the 52nd (Lowland)
Division, and then moved to s'Hertogenbosch where it was itself
relieved on 21 December by the 1st Polish Armoured Division, and
went into Army reserve, to occupy positions in the area Breda-Tilburg,
still under 1st British Corps.

On 26 January
1944, The Lincoln and Welland Regiment made their initial
attacks on
Kapelsche Veer, a small island on the Maas River, in a
battle that lasted until 31 January. The island had been the
object of the Polish armoured division as well as Royal Marine
Commandos in December and was the largest divisional action of
the winter.

Operation
VERITABLE, the clearance of the Rhineland and the preparation
for the final attack on Germany, began on 8 February 1945. The
initial phase of the operation was conducted by infantry
divisions of British 30th Corps under 1st Canadian Army; 4th
Canadian (Armoured) Division, with the British 11th Armoured
Division, was to stand by and renew the momentum of the
offensive once the 2nd Canadian Corps entered the battle. On 26
February, divided into five battle groups, the division went
into the attack against the Hochwald Forest, clearing the high
ground at Calcar and Udem by the next day. The Hochwald Gap
proved troublesome and fighting lasted until 4 March. The
fighting for Veen, the next objective, lasted until 9 March as
the infantry of the 10th Brigade tried to wrest it from German
defenders. Winnenthal fell on 10 March, marking the final
operations for the division west of the Rhine.

The 2nd Canadian
Corps came under operational control of 2nd British Army for
Operation PLUNDER, the crossing of the Rhine, which went off on
23 March 1945. The 4th Division's artillery fired in support of
the crossing, and 3rd Canadian Infantry Division was the first
Canadian formation across. The headquarters of 2nd Canadian
Corps followed by the 28th, and the 2nd Canadian Infantry
Division landed on the far bank of the Rhine on the 28th and
29th, followed by the 4th Division, who entered the line to the
right of both divisions on 1 April 1945 as 1st Canadian Army
once again took operational control for 2nd Canadian Corps. The
three Canadian divisions began a northward advance, with 4th
Canadian (Armoured) Division on the right, with 2nd Canadian
Armoured Brigade now also supporting the two infantry divisions.

The 4th Armoured
crossed the Twente Canal west of Delden on 3 April, cleared
Almelo on 4-5 April then set its sights on Germany as the Polish
Armoured Division returned to 2nd Canadian Corps to operate on
the left of the 4th Armoured. The division crossed the German
border and cleared Neuenhaus, Emlichheim and Coevorden, crossed
the Ems River, and cleared the area east of the Ems to the
Küsten Canal. The 10th Infantry Brigade fought towards Leer
while the tanks cleared Sogel, Borger and Friesoythe. On 17
April, the division crossed the Canal at Edewechterdamm, eleven
miles from Oldenburg, held in the face of German
counter-attacks, then extended the bridgehead two miles to the
Aue River by 21 April. The tanks again took the lead as the
division advanced on Bad Zwischenahn, which fell on 30 April.
The division was 10 miles north of Oldenburg when the cease fire
was ordered on 5 May 1945.

4th
Canadian Armoured Division concentrated near Almelo,
(Netherlands) late in May and the run-down of the Canadian
units was begun. Volunteers proceeded to the Canadian Army
Pacific Force, joined the Canadian Army Occupational Force,
departed on priority drafts, or were posted to divisional
units originating in the military district of their
enlistment for the return to Canada.11

General Order 71/46, taking effect
27 December 1945, disbanded the division.

Order of Battle
1944-1945

4th
Canadian (Armoured) Division Headquarters

10th Infantry
Brigade Ground Defence Platoon

29th Armoured
Reconnaissance Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment)

4th Canadian Armoured Brigade

21st Armoured
Regiment (The Governor General's Foot Guards)

22nd Armoured
Regiment (The Grenadier Guards)

28th Armoured
Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment)

The Lake
Superior Regiment (Motor)

10th Canadian Infantry Brigade

10th Independent
Machine Gun Company (The New Brunswick Rangers)

The Lincoln and
Welland Regiment

The Algonquin
Regiment

The Argyll and
Sutherland Highlanders

Royal Canadian Artillery

Headquarters, 4th
Divisional Artillery, RCA

15th
Field Regiment

95th Field
Battery

110th Field
Battery

17th Field
Battery

23rd
Field Regiment (Self Propelled)

31st Field
Battery (Self Propelled)

36th Field
Battery (Self Propelled)

83rd Field
Battery (Self Propelled)

5th
Anti-Tank Regiment

96th Anti-Tank
Battery

65th Anti-Tank
Battery

3rd Anti-Tank
Battery

14th Anti-Tank
Battery

8th
Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

70th Light
Anti-Aircraft Battery

102nd Light
Anti-Aircraft Battery

101st Light
Anti-Aircraft Battery

Corps
of Royal Canadian Engineers

Headquarters RCE

6th Field
Park Squadron, RCE

8th Field
Squadron, RCE

9th Field
Squadron, RCE

One bridge troop

Royal
Canadian Corps of Signals

4th Armoured
Divisional Signals, RCCS

Royal
Canadian Army Service Corps

Headquarters
RCASC

4th Armoured
Brigade Company, RCASC

10th
Infantry Brigade Company, RCASC

4th Armoured
Divisional Troops Company, RCASC

4th Armoured
Division Transport Company, RCASC

Royal
Canadian Army Medical Corps

No. 12 Light
Field Ambulance, RCAMC

No. 15 Field
Ambulance, RCAMC

4th Division
Field Hygiene Section, RCAMC

Field dressing
station

Royal
Canadian Ordnance Corps

No. 4 Armoured
Division Ordnance Field Park, RCOC

Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Headquarters
RCEME

4th Armoured
Brigade Workshop, RCEME

10th
Infantry Brigade Workshop, RCEME

One LAA
workshop

Twelve light
aid detachments.

Canadian Postal Corps

One divisional
postal unit

Canadian Provost Corps

One provost
company.

Canadian Intelligence Corps

One field
security section.

General Officers Commanding

Name

Dates in Command

Bio and Destination on Leaving
Appointment

Major General L.F. Page, DSO

10 Jun 1941 - 24
Dec 1941

Major General F.F. Worthington,
CB, MC, MM

2 Feb 1942 - 29
Feb 1944

Major General George Kitching,
DSO

1 Mar 1944 - 21
Aug 1944

Major General
George Kitching was 33 years old when he took over the 4th
Canadian (Armoured) Division. He had previously been GSO I of
the 1st Canadian Infantry Division in Sicily and had later
commanded the 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division's infantry
brigade for a brief period.

Major General Harry W. Foster

22 Aug 1944 - 30
Nov 1944

Command of 1st Canadian Division

Major General Chris Vokes, CBE,
DSO

1 Dec 1944 - 5
Jun 1945

Major
General Christopher Vokes was born in
Ireland in 1904 to a British military officer. He was was
educated at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, and
graduated in 1925. He was commissioned into the Royal Canadian
Engineers, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from McGill
in 1927, and attended Camberley Staff College in England in
1934-35.

Vokes served as
Adjutant General, Assistant Quartermaster General and GSO I of
the 1st Division, as well as commanding the PPCLI, and in June
1942 assumed command of the 2nd Brigade. He led the Brigade
through Sicily and the early months of the Italian campaign, and
took over the Division just before the Moro River campaign. His
handling of the division was criticized in some circles, but he
retained command through the Hitler and Gothic Line fighting.

A clerical error
led to his being reassigned to the 4th Canadian (Armoured)
Division (when his name was confused with that of Charles
Foulkes). He he was not popular among the officers of the
division, but nonetheless led the formation through the
Rhineland and final phases of the war, and remained in Europe to
command the Canadian Army Occupation Force.

Upon return to
Canada, General Vokes was put in charge of the Canadian Army's
Central Command and later of Western Command. He retired from
the military in 1959 and, in 1985 published his memoirs, My
Story.

Divisional Chiefs of Staff

Name

Dates in Appointment

Bio and Destination on Leaving
Appointment

Lieutenant Colonel F.E.
Wigle

3 Aug 1944 - 29 Jan 1945

Lieutenant Colonel W.G.M.
Robinson

1 Feb 1945 -

Commanding Officers 4th
Canadian Armoured Brigade

Name

Dates in Command

Bio and Destination on Leaving
Appointment

Brigader E.L. Booth

23 Feb 1944 - 14 Aug 1944

Brigadier Eric Leslie Booth was born
in 1906 and appointed to command the 4th Armoured Brigade while
serving in the UK. He was killed in action in one of the first
actions of his brigade.

Brigadier R.W. Moncel

19 Aug 1944 -

Brigadier Robert William Moncel was
born in 1917. He commanded the 18th Manitoba Dragoons in 1942,
and served as GSO I of II Canadian Corps the next year. He
commanded the 4th Armoured Brigade from early in 1944 until the
end of the war. He became Director of the Canadian Armoured
Corps in 1946, commanded a brigade in the postwar Army until
1960, then served as Quartermaster General from 1960 to 1963. He
became GOC of Eastern Command in 1965, and retired as Lieutenant
General, having served as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff until
1966.

Commanding Officers 10th
Canadian Infantry Brigade

Name

Dates in Command

Bio and Destination on Leaving
Appointment

Brigadier J.C. Jefferson

27 Feb 1944 -

Brigadier James Curry Jefferson was a
veteran of the Italian Campaign. He had been decorated with the
Distinguished Service Order for his command of the Edmonton
Regiment at Leonforte in July 1943, and a Bar to his DSO at
Ortona in December. He was only in brief command of the 5th
Brigade of the Second Division before transferring to the 4th
Canadian (Armoured) Division where he commanded the Algonquins
and then the 10th Infantry Brigade. Jefferson was made a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1945 for his
service with the 4th Division, in addition to being Mentioned in
Despatches and receiving the French Croix de Guerre with Palm.

Commanders of the Supporting
Arms

Commander

Name

Dates in Command

Royal Canadian Artillery

Brigadier W.C. Hyde, DSO, VD

Royal Canadian Artillery

Brigadier J.N. Lane, DSO

1 Mar 1944 - 9 Nov 1944

Royal Canadian Artillery

Brigadier C.M. Drury, DSO,
MBE

10 Nov 1944 -

Royal Canadian Engineers

Lieutenant Colonel J.R.B.
Jones

22 Feb 1944 -

Royal Canadian Signals

Lieutenant Colonel W.P.
Shireff

12 Nov 1942 - 20 Jan 1945

Royal Canadian Signals

Lieutenant Colonel R.L.
Houston

21 Jan 1945 -

Uniform Insignia
At the start of the Second World War, it was felt that colourful unit
and Formation Patches would be too easily seen, and a very austere set
of insignia was designed for the new Battle Dress uniform, consisting
solely of rank badges and drab worsted Slip-on Shoulder Titles. In 1941,
however, the trend was reversed, and a new system of Formation Patches,
based on the battle patches of the First World War, was introduced.
However, the use of lettered unit titles (at first won as Slip-on
Shoulder Titles and later, as more colourful designs worn directly above
the divisional patches) was also introduced - a privilege previously
extended only to the Brigade of Guards in England, and in the Canadian
Army to just four units: Governor General's Foot Guards, Canadian
Grenadier Guards, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the
Canadian Provost Corps.

The new formation patches were made from three materials mainly; felt
and wool being most common, and canvas patches were adopted in the late
war period as an economy measure.

Members of various corps serving in support units originally wore
formation patches with letters added directly to the patch (or in some
cases a plain coloured shape, such as the Royal Canadian Army Medical
Corps (RCAMC))

The hexagonal patch of the Canadian Army Pacific Force applied overtop
of the formation patch indicated a volunteer for the CAPF.

The 4th Canadian Division readopted the divisional "battle patch" type
of Formation Patches that had been worn in the First World War, being a
green rectangle 2 inches by 3 inches. Formation patches were made from
three materials mainly (canvas, felt and wool) and were first issued in
about 1941.

Artifacts and photos courtesy Bill
Alexander. Note the use of canvas, even for the simple RCAMC title
(maroon rectangle on green rectangle).